Tim Parker surprisingly resigned as head of Transport For London and deputy mayor. The spin was something about Boris needing to take on this important job as he was elected to sort out London’s tranpsort system. Obviously bollocks.

They knew all that when Boris appointed him. Parker said when he started in June: “Throughout my business career I have been accountable to exacting shareholders. In my new role, my shareholders will be the taxpayers of London.” He took a symbolic £1 in pay. 24 hours after he quit TFL and TubeLines caved in to a ludicrous London Underground pay deal. Hence the RMT’s Crowe cancelling the strike. Do you think that perhaps Parker, a famous cost cutter, quit for this reason? Can it be a coincidence? Could Boris have hoisted the white flag because he was petrified of “Tory Cuts” rhetoric?